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Overcast. High near 65F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.

Photo courtesy of Pamela Forgrieve

Photo courtesy of Pamela Forgrieve

Spring is typically when people think to organize a yard or garage sale, but that’s not to say that summer and fall aren't great opportunities as well.  Spring cleaning can be a great motivator to host a yard sale, but moving house, downsizing or new additions to homes are also great opportunities to reevaluate what you own, and what is taking up space, while not being used or needed.

Whenever you decide, or for whatever reason you are ready to purge no longer needed items from your home, it’s always best to have some simple strategies in place to ensure a successful sale and turn your unwanted items into cash.

Timing in key, so pick the right date for your sale.  Consider having your sale near a common payday (the 1st of 15th of the month is typical).  Avoid scheduling your sale on a holiday weekend as turnout may be low. Check what events are happening locally that are usually well attended and avoid those dates as well.

Shop your house:  Take a walk through every room in your home with a box or basket and grab anything that you no longer need. If you're undecided as to whether something should go, ask yourself when was the last time you used it, or if you can see yourself using it any time soon.  If you haven’t used something in over a year, it's probably time to let it go. Throw in any items that you really don’t want to put back in your house or garage. Price them to go, ask yourself what you would be willing to pay for the item at a sale.

Clean up the items you are selling. Clean and tidy items will sell faster than items that the purchaser has to work on.  Give yourself plenty of time before the sale to prep your sale pieces.

Layout and prep: Arrange like items together.  Organize everything you want to part with according to functionality–all kitchen items together, clothing, books, toys, clothes, etc.  Tag your garage/yard sale items right using pre-printed price tags–available at most office supply or hardware stores–or mark on painter’s tape.  It's best to only use materials that won’t leave a mark, damage items or that will tear paper.  Adding a fun fact or interesting idea on how to use the item you're selling is a great way to garner interest in the item. Simply add those ideas to the price tag.

Gear up: Have essentials ready to go on your sale day. It's more than just change that keeps things running smoothly. A measuring tape to make sure items can fit in cars and trucks, yardstick, calculator, extension cords and batteries are all important items to have on hand. A good supply of grocery bags and boxes are also important. Anything that will make life easier for your shoppers to carry items home are definitely worth having on hand.

Advertise: You want to grab the attention of passersby and big bold signs help with that. Use phrases like “HUGE sale TODAY”. fix balloons to your mailbox or other high visibility spots near your home.  Place signs in and around your neighborhood, making sure to follow the guidelines of local ordinances or bylaws. And don’t forget to include your local coffee shops and grocery stores, they often have community notice boards where you can feature your sale. Make sure your yard signs have directional arrows, and include information on the date and time.  If you have children’s clothing and toys available be sure to place a sign near playgrounds for a captive audience. There is also the garage sale section of Craigslist to consider for advertising your sale, and gsalr.com, which helps people plan their garage sale shopping by finding sales on a map.

Get ready:  A few days prior to your sale, get plenty of small bills and coins from the bank to make change for your customers. Keeping this in a tackle box, fanny pack or something similar will be helpful on the day.  Fill baskets of one dollar items close to your checkout station.  People generally can’t resist a final look for a deal. Additionally, consider a “free with purchase” box and fill it with small items like small stuffed animals, crayons, bouncy balls, etc. Your younger shoppers will be delighted with this token.

Set up:  Place large and eye-catching items close to the road to entice people in.  Group items together and designate sections for housewares, books, clothing toys, etc.  Adult clothing can be a challenge to sell, so display is key here. Having items hung either on a clothing rack, clothesline or ladder gives a better chance of moving the merchandise.

Colorful tablecloths subliminally tell your shoppers the items are worth the price you are asking, so go ahead and use them. It also makes for a more inviting display. Keep items at eye level and avoid placing your sale items on the ground.  Display jewelry on fabric, wrap a section of cardboard in fabric and pin pieces of jewelry to it to show off these smaller items, and keep more valuable items close to your checkout area.

Place baby clothes and toys toward the back of your sale set up. That way people will need to walk past everything else to get to these hot sale items.

Using vertical space and creating multiple levels on your tables by using supports or covered boxes when displaying your items gives the eye something to see beyond the tables and can create more interest for the buyers.  The changes in heights forces the eye to stop rather than simply scan and move on.

An extra set of hands will help your sale run efficiently.  Putting on a yard sale is a two-person task at a minimum.  One individual should look after and tend the checkout area, while others answer questions and help load vehicles with purchases.

For more information, visit Tend Home Team online at tendhometeam.com.

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